Degreaser often

**solekeeper** · 06-20-2010, 07:29 PM

Hey guys, I was curious if it was ok to clean wheels every time you wash the car with degreaser?

I don`t know the exact type of finish on the wheels, maybe someone does? I forgot what they call it. It`s an e46m3. Can it do any harm?

**454Casull** · 06-20-2010, 07:38 PM

You can wash your wheels as often as you like, most degreasers don`t do much to finishes AFAIK.

**Legacy** · 06-20-2010, 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by solekeeper

Hey guys, I was curious if it was ok to clean wheels every time you wash the car with degreaser?

I don`t know the exact type of finish on the wheels, maybe someone does? I forgot what they call it. It`s an e46m3. Can it do any harm?

If you seal your wheels you wouldn`t need anything more than soap and water.

**WRXsubaru2010** · 06-20-2010, 08:49 PM

The only thing you have to be careful is not to use any wheel cleaner or degreaser on Hot rims.

**Accumulator** · 06-21-2010, 10:18 AM

solekeeper- I`m not sure why you`d want to use a degreaser on wheels all the time

If you do it, and it (slowly, gradually, evntually) messes up the finish, you might post something about it as a warning to others.

I go both ways on the LSP/not approaches to wheels, but I`d be a little careful about what you use on them for maintenance washes.

**solekeeper** · 06-21-2010, 09:57 PM

thanks guys, I guess I`ll limit my useage.

I always seem to use it because my wheels get so dirty from brake dust. But all of it`s soft, and washes right off, so I guess I really didn`t have a valid reason to use it? Except for my wheel wells.

**imported_bpfoley** · 06-22-2010, 07:43 AM

I have pagid brake pads that just spew brake dust all over the place (but they perform excellent) and I find that despite how ugly they look, soap and water cleans them right up. I`m not sure if other brake material may stick or etch more than the Pagid`s- the OEM VW brake compound seemed a bit stickier FWIW

**Accumulator** · 06-22-2010, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by solekeeper

...I always seem to use [degreaser] because my wheels get so dirty from brake dust. But all of it`s soft, and washes right off, so I guess I really didn`t have a valid reason to use it? Except for my wheel wells.

I use degreasers to, well....degrease stuff. Otherwise I use other products for "regular cleaning". I must have four or five different degreasers on the shelf, but they just sit there until I have a genuine need for their specific abilities. Of course, I guess there`s a mighty fine line between "APC" and "degreaser" so maybe I`m splitting hairs unnecessarily :nixweiss

I clean wheels with either wheel cleaner or sorta-strong shampoo mix, depending on whether they`re LSPed or not. I do my wheelwells with either of those (shampoo if the wells/etc. are nicely detailed) or diluted EFHI (one of those APCs that`s not all *that* different from a degreaser, but is still, IMO, "soapier").

**imported_Bert** · 06-22-2010, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by solekeeper

thanks guys, I guess I`ll limit my useage.

I always seem to use it because my wheels get so dirty from brake dust. But all of it`s soft, and washes right off, so I guess I really didn`t have a valid reason to use it? Except for my wheel wells.

Yeah, I would save the degreaser for those moments you really need it. In my experience, I found so long as I stay on top of my wheels (weekly washes), I can clean up brake dust with just soap and water so long as I am using the right brushes. However, that has become even easier now that I have recently replaced my standard brakes (which gave off quite a bit of dust) for some Akebono pads I bought online from Tire Rack which give off very little.

**solekeeper** · 06-22-2010, 04:14 PM

I have no idea what pads are on my car, as I bought them with it already. But they are horrid (dust wise)

I`am thinking of selling it, so I might not be able to change pads for my own liking. lol